Skoog leads Braves past Panthers

Menahga's Kendra Dresow went up for a tip during Tuesday night's match against Park Rapids.2 / 2

As the only returning starter, senior Jenny Skoog was being counted on by head coach Isaiah Hahn to take over the leadership role for the Menahga volleyball team this season.

Skoog took over Tuesday night’s match at Park Rapids by leading the Braves with 28 kills, 17 service points, 13 digs and eight service aces in a 25-17, 16-25, 25-21, 20-25, 15-10 victory at the Area High School gym.

A pair of service winners by Kendra Dresow and four kills by Skoog gave the Braves a quick 8-2 lead in Set 1. Two kills by Megan Grimes accounted for Park Rapids’ points during that stretch. Two kills by the Panthers’ Mady Vaudrin were offset by a pair of kills by Dresow, an ace serve by Skoog and a kill by Stacy Holmer as Menahga maintained a 14-6 advantage. A kill by Vaudrin and ace serves by Vaudrin and Gabie Johnson were offset by two kills by Skoog and a kill by Savannah Kako as the Braves closed out the first set.

A kill and two tips by Grimes and winning spikes by Justine Rittgers and Vaudrin were offset by two kills by Skoog and a kill by Dresow as both teams battled to a 9-9 tie in Set 2. Johnson served two aces and Vaudrin had a pair of tips as the Panthers claimed a 15-11 edge. A kill by Grimes, three service points by Johnson and an ace serve by Grimes helped the Panthers close out the set and even the match.

Two kills and two tips by Grimes and a kill by Vaudrin gave the Panthers a quick 6- 2 lead in Set 3. Menahga used an ace serve and kill by Skoog and a kill and tip by Dresow to take a 10-9 lead. After Grimes and Skoog exchanged kills, Lakyn Anderson served two aces and Skoog served five points as the Braves led 21-14. Two kills apiece by Vaudrin and Grimes and an ace serve by Vaudrin cut the gap to 24-21 before a winning spike by Jessica Yrjo closed out the set.

The Braves countered two kills apiece by Vaudrin and Grimes with two kills by Elyse Skoog and kills by Dresow and Jenny Skoog as both teams battled to a 10-10 tie. Kills by Grimes and Rittgers were offset by kills by Jenny Skoog and Elyse Skoog as the set stayed tied at 17-17. Two ace serves by Elyse Skoog gave Menahga a 20-19 edge before Vaudrin served an ace and two winners and Grimes pounded down a kill to force a deciding set.

Three kills and a pair of ace serves by Jenny Skoog and a kill by Elyse Skoog gave Menahga a quick 10-5 advantage in Set 5. After kills by Johnson and Vaudrin cut the gap to 10-8, an ace serve by Alayna Lake and kills by Yrjo and Jenny Skoog gave the Braves the win.

Dresow and Elyse Skoog added six kills each while Anderson had 26 set assists as Menahga improved to 3-2 on the season.